


Lost in the Past

by incredibly_cold



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Fuck the Clone Wars, M/M, Totally ignoring the events of the Clone Wars, actually very sweet for two mass murderers, i think so at least
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-20 02:06:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5988424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incredibly_cold/pseuds/incredibly_cold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darth Vader has been around for a while, and he's seen his fair share of people. Most of them came and went, but one has stayed around for a long time. Deep down they both know that their time is limited. With the way that their lives are, there's no way that theirs will be a happy ending. Circumstance can take everything away from them, and soon it probably will, but they'll always have their memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A face to face meeting

**Author's Note:**

> So before we get started, I'm just going to say that this does not remotely follow with The Clone Wars. Fuck that show though because they misrepresent everything anyway. Seriously, clones disobeying direct orders? Nah, forget that. Also I'm going partly off of actor ages because I couldn't find how old Boba is supposed to be until I had already written a lot and if you go by cannon its really creepy and gross but we aren't gonna do that. For the purposes of this story, Anakin is starting out at 21 and Boba at 17. Still kind of creepy but it worked for Anakin and Padmé so who cares?

Boba Fett wasn't an easy person to forget. Darth Vader could remember the first time they met, before Chancellor Palpatine had even used the clones to turn against the unsuspecting Jedi. He remembered thinking it was odd for a Chancellor to have a bounty hunter in his office, when he first walked in. When he saw him, there was a moment where he thought that he was his father, but that was impossible since Master Windu had killed him two years ago. Palpatine noticed his hesitation when he walked in, and corrected his mistake.

"This is Boba Fett." He had told him. "I believe you've met his father."

It was a jab intended to get a rise out of Boba, even then he knew it. Despite his a stronger bond with Palpatine, he bristled. In contrast, the other man stayed still, the perfect model of a soldier. He couldn't really read him beyond that, not with his face hidden behind that mask.

"I remember him, he fought well." He responded flatly. It wasn't exactly untrue. He had killed his fair share of Jedi on Geonosis. He even tried to keep fighting after he was trampled by a Reek. He hadn't actually put up much of a fight against Windu, but he wouldn't have stood a chance anyway. Not with a measly little blaster, and not after being injured like that. Still, he wanted to show that he was respectful. Maybe even sympathetic. He had lost his mother, after all. He could relate.

"Not well enough." The bounty hunter replied. He could just hear the edge of a bitter laugh, and he wondered if his comment had made things worse. Not that he cared about the feelings of some bounty hunter, but he did prefer it when the things he said had their intended affect.

He had decided then that it didn't really matter at all, and turned to questioning him. "Why are you here? You're a bounty hunter, aren't you?" The second question was more rhetorical, since he already knew that he was, but he asked it anyway.

"I was just leaving, actually." He replied, without actually answering either question. "Good day, Chancellor." He gave a stiff, formal bow that somehow communicated disdain more than respect, and turned on his heel to walk out the door.

Of course, all these years later, he couldn't remember what he and the chancellor talked about. They talked often, and usually about politics. Those things were not what he remembered. When he left though, Boba Fett was outside the door. He leaned carelessly with his shoulder against the wall, and tossed a thermal detonator up into the air in the same way that most normal people might do with a ball or a piece of fruit. As he passed by, the other man caught his detonator again, tucked it away and stepped into his path. Even after he straightened up, he was shorter. Not by a lot, but it was still enough for him to notice. He wondered how small he was underneath all that armor. It had to add a few inches.

"What do you want?" He asked, rudely. His conversation hadn't gone well, and he was no longer in the mood for formalities. Jedi and bounty hunters didn't get along. Jedi killed only when necessary. They were good and honorable, and they did things for the greater good, not for the highest bidder. Not that Jedi didn't accept money, but they were just too different to get along. Besides, waiting for him outside would have fallen into the category of annoying behavior regardless of who he was dealing with.

His harshness didn't scare off the shorter man. If anything, it made him more aggressive. He took a step forward, so that they were only inches apart, and he puffed out his chest slightly. "I remember you, Jedi. You were there when my father was killed. You were working with the man who brought us to Geonosis in the first place."It was impossible to tell for sure, but it seemed like he was angry, based on the whole physical intimidation thing.

"So?" He asked. He didn't really get the point of this. If he had a vendetta against someone, it should be Windu or Obi-wan. Either way, there were too many Jedi here to defeat. That would be true even if he was the best bounty hunter the world had ever seen. He needed to accept that and move on. If not, then why wait for him in the hallway to say he remembered, if not to get to them? People met lots of people in their lives, they didn't make a big deal of things like that without good reason.

"So, I remember you. You ruined the execution." He took a step back, and tilted his head to the side. "You were more fun to watch than some boring old maulings."

It seemed like a weird thing to wait around to say, so he stayed quiet for several moments. "I thought that it was better than mauling too, but I figured that I might be a little biased." He finally said. "So what were you and the chancellor talking about? I didn't know that dealing with bounty hunters was part of his job."

"You really are concerned with that, aren't you? Don't worry, it's nothing that your kind would disapprove of. I'm just bringing back fugitive criminals for their trials. Almost like enforcing the law, really, and it's a perfectly legal way to earn money. Careful, I might put you Jedi out of a job." It came off more like a threat than a joke, in part because of the sharp poke in the chest that came with it.

Anakin forced a laugh and tried to step around him, only to be blocked again. It was all he could do to remain casual and not let his irritation show. "I'm sorry, did you need anything else? Directions maybe? I could tell you how to get out if you like." He hoped that he wasn't being too subtle there.

"Actually, I have a few things to ask you, and I've been in hanging around all these politicians for far too long. I was hoping that we might get something to drink." He suggested. At the reproachful look he go in return, he shrugged. "Or something to eat, if you prefer. I don't know all the rules for you people. Either way, I'd like an audience, and I'm sure someone like you wouldn't refuse me. Not after you called in the army that killed my father."

Great. He should have known better than to show any kind of empathy to a bounty hunter. They only did things for their own benefit. Of course he would use it as leverage to get what he wanted. "No, I guess I wouldn't." He admitted, grudgingly. "There's a place about a block away that has decent food. I can take you there now, or we can meet in a few hours."

"I'll meet you there. Just write down a name and address so I know where to go." Boba agreed cheerfully. He pulled a piece of paper and a pen out of one of the many pouches on his battered green and red armor and handed them over. At Anakin's raised eyebrows he waved a hand. "I carry around more than just weapons, you know. I do some things that don't involve killing."

"I guess I hadn't thought about it." He responded, as he scribbled down the information and handed both back without a smile. "I'll see you there at eight."


	2. Dinner at the diner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was time for the moment that Anakin had been dreading all day. He tried to tell himself that it wouldn't be that bad. That it was just a normal dinner with some guy. It was too bad he already knew that he didn't like this bounty hunter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might seem out of character but bear with me till the end of the chapter.

It had been a memorable first meeting, for one that happened at a peaceful time. Other than Qui-Gon and Padmé, he still couldn't remember any complete stranger leaving a long lasting memory of their first impression on him. Throwing bombs around and forcing people to do what he wanted would do that though. Their dinner had been quite similar, tense and irritating. He remembered that too.

He had found himself waiting in the mostly empty room for the other to show up. He had picked this place for the very reason that no one was ever here. It was a cheap restaurant with cheap, but decent food, stuck in with all the classy higher priced restaurants. Usually it got skipped over by a lot of people. It was the perfect place to meet someone when you didn't want a lot of people knowing about it, and as a respected part of the Jedi order he really would like to keep this thing a secret. He sat quietly in the back corner and waited and watched the slow trickle of people entering and leaving.

A young man with light brown skin and curly black hair caught his notice. Not just because he was a human, which would have been enough to get some of his attention on a planet like Coruscant, but because he was coming straight towards him. His training had taught him to look out for threats, and an unfamiliar person walking towards him with purpose like that definitely registered as a potential threat. His hand was ready on his light saber when the man sat down across from him.

"So you came! I thought that you might not show up." He spoke enthusiastically. The voice was different without the mask changing it, but the tone was familiar. This was Boba Fett. Now that he knew who he was, he could see the resemblance between him and the clones. Boba was young, where they all looked about forty, but it was still clear that they shared the same genetic makeup. Obi-wan had told him that Jango had a clone that he had raised as a son. This was him.

"You're late." Anakin responded flatly. He wasn't going to be friendly, but he also didn't see a reason to angry about it. After all, what could he have expected from someone like him? Bounty hunters had no respect for lives, much less the time of more respectable people. If he wanted him here on time, he should have offered money upon his arrival.

"Yeah, I was busy. I'm sure someone like you can understand. We all have more important work obligations." His curls were hanging in his face, and he pushed them back and flashed Anakin a grin. "You deliver justice, I deliver people. And speaking of people, I like knowing their names. You know mine, and now you know my face too, so really I'm at a disadvantage here," he went on, happy and bubbly as could be. It wasn't exactly a good reason to give his name, but he saw no point in resisting on this. If he didn't tell him, then surely he would find out from someone else. It was the nature of his job to have informants.

"I'm Anakin." He allowed. "And you already know that I'm a Jedi, so that's out of the way." The idea of having Boba question him made him uneasy. He couldn't imagine what kinds of things that he would be answering. What information was he after? What did he know that could be useful to a bounty hunter? Surely it was something important, if he cared enough to set up this meeting.

He got another smile and a nod. "Yes, I do. That's why I wanted to talk to you, actually." He leaned forward, and all the humor left him, replaced with childlike interest. "I've been very interested in the Jedi order for a while. I look up to them, I think they're amazing. I'm just sad that I was 13 before I found out anything about them. I was kind of out in the far edges of the Galaxy. If I was younger I might have been one of you someday." It was a nice thing to say, and he seemed genuine. "I've heard that you joined when you were almost a teenager. It was too late for me though. Sometimes I dream about what it would be like if I was a Jedi. I've heard that purple light sabers are for people who used to be on the dark side and turned over. If that's true, then I bet that's what I would have. Being a bounty hunter isn't always honorable." He rambled, excitedly. Of course, he had seen this kind of admiration before, but usually from children, no one with his job description. Definitely not from people whose parents had been killed by Jedi.

"Yes, I think that's true..." Anakin replied, hesitantly. "But why would you want to join the people who killed your dad?" He didn't understand. When the Tuskens killed his mother, he had killed them all. He was so angry. Even now, he couldn't really bring himself to regret doing it. There had to be something wrong with him, to have any fondness for Jedi.

The other man leaned back again. "Who ever said that I liked my dad? I mean, he wasn't even my real dad, he was me. I'm his clone, can I really take it personally if someone kills an older version of me? One who lived a life of crime and swindling, and tried to kill a politician, no less. Really that man- what's his name? I know his name. Master something or other, I'm drawing a blank here. The one who killed him."

"Windu?" Anakin supplied, helpfully. He was still baffled by this turn of events, otherwise he might have thought twice about telling Boba his name. But, he didn't. He just let it slip out without thinking.

"Yes, Windu. I really feel like I should be thanking him. He's the one who sent me on the path I am now. I bring back people who run from the law, and I make sure they're brought to justice. It's like I was doing today." He stopped talking to him for a minute while he ordered, and looked at Anakin expectantly. It still took him a moment to jerk himself out of the conversation.

"I'll have the same thing." He gave the waitress a forced smile and turned back to the other man. Dark brown eyes were watching him carefully. Almost suspiciously carefully.

"Anyway, that's why I came here. I wanted to be on Coruscant so that I could help. You hired an army of clones, so I figured that maybe a bounty hunter wasn't such a big stretch." He picked up a salt shaker and spun it around in front of him. "If I can prove to the Jedi council that I'm on their side, I might be able to be your ally. Maybe you and I will even go on missions together someday."

The idea was repulsive to him at the time. The one thing that he needed in a partner for any mission was trust. As adoring as Boba Fett may be, there was still that pesky detail abut what he did for a living. Suppose someone was willing to pay him to get the leader of the mission out of the way? Would he really say no? There was no way that he could ever firmly believe in someone like that.

"I wouldn't bet on it." He allowed himself to laugh. It wasn't funny exactly, but it was absurd enough to deserve a laugh.

To Boba it clearly wasn't funny at all. He looked angry now. The change was so sudden that he didn't even notice until the other man started talking again. "You know, Anakin, I get the feeling that you're prejudiced against me. You don't know anything about me, and I've been nothing but kind to you since we've met. I've even invited you to dinner and complimented your lifestyle, and you still don't like me. No, not even don't like me, that would be fine. You _dis_ like me. And all because I'm a bounty hunter." He stopped spinning the salt shaker and pushed it aside. "Well, I hate to ruin your night, so I'll be going. You can take my food home if you want. I've gotten what I needed." He threw down some money and stood up to leave.

He would have been happy a moment ago, but Boba Fett's wording concerned him. He had said that he'd 'gotten what he needed.' That was never a good thing to hear from someone whose motives were unclear. "What do you mean? We haven't talked about anything." He tensed, ready for a fight.

"We've talked about enough." The other man told him. One dark eyebrow raised and his gaze became almost mocking. "I won't waste any more of your time." He didn't wait for a response, he just walked out.

Back then, he had believed in justice. He had decided to follow him and see what he was up to. That was the way he had done things when he was still Anakin. As Darth Vader, he would have forced him to tell his mission, and killed him if he resisted. It was a good thing that all of this had happened when he still cared if people were innocent. That day, he left the money for his food and followed Boba.

He trailed him back to the place that he was staying, and stopped outside. He hadn't had the opportunity to plant any kind of bug on him, and breaking in would blow his cover. He could find a way in through the ducts, but that would require some idea of how the building was set up, and he'd need R2 to find that out. It wasn't the best following job that he had done, but it was very short notice, and he had no justification for taking any further measures. He was pacing in front of the doorway, trying to decide what to do when he sensed a presence on the other side. He barely had time to hide before the door opened and the bounty hunter stepped out.

"I know you followed me. You might as well come inside."

"Of course you do. That is your job." He responded, as he stepped back out around the corner. There was no point in continuing to hide if the other was already aware of his presence. It might just get him shot. "So I guess you also know that i'm suspicious of you, since I decided to trail you."

"I assumed." He stepped aside so that Anakin could go inside.

Normally he would show some hesitation, or at least tell someone where he was. This time though, he wasn't being as careful. He was a Jedi knight, and this man was young. Without the training of the Jedi, he wouldn't know how to defeat one. He was in no danger. "So you know that I can't leave here unless you tell me what you're up to."

"Well, I was hoping that wasn't the case, but I'm not surprised." He shrugged. "The whole thing about hating my father and wanting to be a Jedi was a lie, but I'm sure you'd already figured that much out."

"I assumed." He smirked. The imitation wasn't lost on Boba. He got a very irritated look for it.

"Then you won't be surprised that I want revenge. That's the real reason that I'm here. I needed information about who killed my father, and I wanted you to give me his name. You did. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it, and you can leave now. Unless you have to kill me." He raised his eyebrows, challenging him. One hand twitched towards the blaster at his hip. He was aware, at least, that there was no point in hiding his plan. If it came to a fight then he would die or win. His mission would be over or there would be no one left to rat him out.

It was a moral dilemma. He should be fine with the idea of killing him. He was a threat to another Jedi. Still, he couldn't bring himself to even consider it. This man, this bounty hunter Boba Fett, he was just sad son who wanted payment for his father's death. Anakin himself was no different, he could understand. Besides, a Jedi only took a life when it was completely necessary. He doubted that this man could possibly kill he or Windu. "I won't kill you." He sighed, halfway before he had even really decided. "You're not a danger to anyone. Not yet. I can't kill someone just because they're lost."

"So you're letting me go?" The other man was baffled, his hand still at the gun on his hip. "Just like that, you're leaving? You aren't going to tell anyone?" His thick eyebrows were knitted together, still not understanding.

"As long as I don't think you're dangerous, this can stay between us. I won't bother you." He confirmed. "If you get too close though, I'll be the one to put you down." Somehow he was sure that his revenge would never happen. Windu would not die at the hands of some bounty hunter. Still, he felt that this wouldn't be the last time they would be seeing each other.


	3. Working partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin was wrong about one thing, they would work together one day. That day came much sooner than either of them could ever have guessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I start saying 'fuck the actual timeline' and start throwing stuff in there. If there are any glaring inaccuracies that bother you, then I'm sorry. I also will no change it though, so just be irritated on the inside please.

That might have been the last time that he ever saw Boba Fett if it weren't for Palpatine. Now he understood that it was a part of the Sith lord's plans to slowly wear down his morals, but for a while he was insistent that they worked together. There were several missions over which they got to know each other better. All of them were pointless except for his being around someone who was willing to kill and mostly served himself. Back then, it was a mystery. He couldn't understand why the Chancellor would want him working with a bounty hunter.

When Anakin had assumed that they would see each other again, he hadn't thought it would be so soon. Here he was though, just two days later, standing in front of Palpatine with Boba Fett beside him. He was back in his armor and helmet, but the Jedi could sense that he was watching him closely out of his peripheral vision.

Their mission was simple. They were meant to catch a couple of known separatists who had been causing trouble for the Chancellor. They hadn't done a lot of real harm, just destroyed a small transport full of clones. Anakin didn't really see a point to catching them, but this was war, and any threat to the Republic had to be taken care of. Obi-Wan was otherwise occupied, and he was left to find some other partner. This arrangement, of course, was not his own choice. Palpatine had suggested it, and the Jedi council had better things to do than argue with his choices. So, here he was, listening to their mission assignment.

"Do we have to keep them alive?" Boba asked, as soon as the Chancellor finished explaining. Naturally that would be what he was worried about.

"You aren't encouraged to kill them, but if that's what you have to do, then no one will hold it against you." He seemed amused by the question. At least one of them was happy about this whole situation. Of course, he also had to encourage Boba to do whatever he wanted, which was definitely a bad idea. "Now, you will be compensated for your help, as long as you succeed." He continued. "I'm sure we can count on your help in the future."

"As long as I can count on your money." It was the kind of deadpan humor that he would have expected from him. He also could have seen him turning on his heel without so much as a bow, even one of his obnoxious fake ones. He was out of the room before Anakin could say anything, so he was left to give a more formal goodbye for both of them. This was still the Chancellor they were dealing with, he deserved respect.

The next day, they met on the landing pad, where Boba's ship was waiting for them. It was really a terrible design for a ship, anyone could tell you that. The people inside had to lay down on their back until it was flying and they could be right side up again. Of course, the bounty hunter would hear nothing against it, he was as devoted to it as he was his beat up armor, and for the same reason. While going over mission details, he had gotten gotten to know his partner a little better. He had guessed that he was pretty committed to his father. He had been right. What he hadn't guessed was that he was so committed that he was still using all of his old and outdated equipment. The whole thing was a little weird, but he tried to be understanding. After all, he couldn't very well relate to a man whose father was also himself. Who was he to judge someone for wanting to use the same weapons that an older version of himself was used to?

So instead of taking another opportunity to explain possible solutions to at least make the landing position a better one, he laid down uncomfortably in the passenger's seat and didn't say a word even after they took off. The silence didn't bother either of them. Actually it was able to last for hours and hours. Another issue with this particular mission was how little information hey had to go on. Before they could capture their targets, they would have to track them down. Instead of a quick and easy trip, they ended up spending two full days in there together. Naturally the silence could not last that long.

"Is there any food in this thing, or is it too old for something like that?" Those were the first words of their journey, to which Boba rolled his eyes and threw him a package of something he didn't recognize out of a storage compartment between them. After that it was quiet again. Anakin wasn't sure why he was so tense, but he couldn't relax. He didn't trust his new partner. He _couldn't_ trust someone who killed others for a living. It was clearly one sided, since the bounty hunter seemed amiable enough when no one was criticizing his things. He even left his helmet off, which was something that he apparently did only when he was alone or didn't want to be spotted. At least, most of the time. He probably didn't bother with it because they already knew each other's faces.

The problem with not speaking was that things quickly became unbelievably boring. It seemed like an eternity of nothingness before Boba suggested that one of them go to sleep. He didn't want both of them to be tired or asleep if someone attacked the ship.

"Why would I sleep around you? I'm not stupid enough to leave myself defenseless around you. You kill people for money. How do I know I'll live through the night?" It was so unbelievably ridiculous that Anakin was almost angry at the suggestion. Almost. As a Jedi, he didn't get angry over such petty things.

Boba stared at him, not blinking. He didn't look offended or anything, he probably expected that kind of a reaction. Then again, if that surprised him then he would have to be pretty stupid. Obviously in his line of work there would be problems with people not trusting him. It was a given. But he wasn't stupid, so instead he watched him with an almost bored expression, like this was the hundredth time that he had gone over this exact conversation. Maybe it was. "Why would I kill you?" He asked flatly.

"That's what you get paid to do." Anakin repeated with a similar lack of enthusiasm. He shouldn't have to explain himself, it was easy enough to figure out.

"Okay, but do you have a price on your head?" He stared at him for a while, eyebrows raised. The expression brought attention to a scar across his left brow. "And I don't have any personal vendetta against you either, so there's no reason that I would do it for free. It's a job, not a hobby." He crossed his arms and leaned back as he thought. "Actually there are lots of reasons for me not to kill you. Like how a lot of people know that you and I are on a mission and if you die then I'll be held responsible. Trust me, you do not want to murder a Jedi, the full wrath of the order will come after you. It's not worth it unless you're willing to die for it, and you're not that special."

He tried to be offended by this last comment and found that he couldn't quite manage it. It wasn't that he was being rude, it was just honesty. There wasn't enough gain to killing him that it would end up being worthwhile. If he was Master Windu then things might be different, but as it was, there was nothing. That was comforting in a way, as much as he hated to admit it. It was enough that he could go to sleep without any further grumbling.

They each took a nap, but once they were both awake again, it became abundantly clear that Boba would not put up with the silence any longer. Instead, he decided to show off all the weapons on the ship. He was very enthusiastic about his weapons, and not without reason. All of them were made by his father and put on the ship, and all looked very effective. Anakin would hate to be the person getting shot at. He felt bad for Obi-Wan having to deal with these things a year or two ago. It was no wonder he hid instead of trying to destroy the ship itself. After he had finished explaining every single weapon on it, he went on to ask about what kind of weapons the Jedi had, and what the clones had. The latter of these were less interesting to him, since he had actually seen all of them before at some point or another when he lived on Kamino. The thing that he found really intriguing was the light sabers. He wanted to know everything about them, from what kind of power source they used and where in the handle that was usually stored, to why Jedi made their own instead of just buying one that they liked and tweaking it. Furthermore, he wanted to know why they used such outdated weapons. Blasters were easier to use, with less of a chance of injuring yourself, and they had a much longer range. The only reason that he could see to use a light saber was for the deflecting of blasters, and they could just as easily make a shield the same way. Better yet, they could find a way to make armor combined with a deflector shield and be really well protected.

Answering a question like that one was difficult. How could he explain the lifestyle of a Jedi to someone who prided themselves on being strong willed and independent? Not even because there was anything wrong with that, but he wouldn't understand the care and discipline that went into wielding a weapon like a light saber. Just like he wouldn't understand how much the force affected reflexes so that they could even deflect blasters. So instead of trying to, he just gave an incredibly boring and vague answer. "It's the way that we always do things. We value tradition." It was the perfect way to answer while also opting out of any actual explanation.

"Right, of course." He smiled. "Like the tradition of hypocrisy. Everything that I have is advanced compared to that thing." He acted like such a child, it made Anakin wonder how old he really was. They were close in age, but certainly the bounty hunter was a few years younger. Watching him reminded him of a time when Obi-Wan would criticize him for speaking too openly about his opinions and boasting too much. As much as he hated to admit it, he could see similarities between himself and his stand in partner.

They continued to talk about those kinds of things for the rest of the trip. Boba wanted to know why the Jedi didn't wear armor, Anakin countered by asking what point there was in wearing armor if his face still got injured. In addition to the one on his eyebrow, he also had a scar on the right side of his mouth that ran across both lips. it looked funny when he smiled.

"If it weren't for my helmet I'd look a lot worse. I took a blaster straight to the face, it shattered my visor. I still have both eyes though, so I think a few glass shards to the face are a small price to pay." He ran a finger over his eyebrow, feeling the thin line where there wasn't any hair. "How about you though, if you get a head wound then you won't have anything to protect you at all."

That was enough to make him laugh. "I'm pretty sure I don't need armor to protect me. I just don't let anyone near my face." It was a bit of a bold statement to make, given the fact that he'd lost half an arm pretty recently, but Boba didn't know that. Besides, he was stronger than any of the other Jedi, if he was really focusing then there was no way that someone could hurt him.

"Well I'd be willing to bet that you will get hurt at some point. No amount of training will make you invincible." He shrugged. "But I'm guessing that Jedi don't take bets, right?"

"Right." He lied. It wasn't worth it to explain the real Jedi rules.

That's what their relationship became. When they landed, they were sort of like friends. Mean friends, of course. Friends that teased and argued with each other at every available opportunity, but still friends. And they were almost as good a match as he and Obi-Wan. Where Anakin made hasty decisions and did the reckless thing, Boba was patient enough to wait on the sidelines until a more opportune moment. He was efficient and smart. That in itself was amazing considering his day to day personality.

They captured the separatists easily enough the first time. After that they went through mission after pointless mission. They were always together. They even stayed in the same room everywhere that they went. The first night, when they went to get a room at the inn, there was only one room left and it only had one bed. The Jedi was all in favor of going somewhere else, but the younger man would have none of it. He was paying for this, and he wasn't going to go someplace more expensive. Besides, they were only going to be here when they slept, so it really didn't matter. It wasn't as natural and comfortable to share one bed as it was with Obi-Wan, but eventually they got used to it. Anakin preferred to sleep alone if he couldn't be with Padmé. Boba on the other hand was apparently so touch starved that he ended up curling up to the Jedi whenever he fell asleep. Anakin sat down to meditate on the bed that first night, and the bounty hunter just flopped down next to him. A few minutes later, after he had settled into sleep, he rolled closer until he was pressed up against the Jedi's leg. Since it was an unconscious action and it was kind of sad, he allowed it and never brought it up. They compromised by sleeping back to back, which was impersonal enough for Anakin and warm enough for the younger man to sleep well.

On their last mission, the fifth or the sixth, the bounty hunter even saved his older partner. They were facing a woman that neither of them had ever met, a ruthless woman who as it happened, liked to use a light saber. Boba was having way too much fun watching them fight and not helping at all. He didn't have his partner's back like he normally would. She wasn't a force user, which made things easier, but even without that Anakin was used to having someone else fighting alongside him. He always had that second pair of eyes to notice the things that he didn't. This time he didn't. It caught him off guard when she pulled a second light saber, and it grazed the right side of his face.

It wasn't the worst injury he had gotten, but the pain was distracting. He was angry that the bounty hunter wasn't doing his job and helping him. He came back at her with more force, and finally he heard a blaster. Between the two of them, it only took another minute before she was disarmed. It was over already, when there was another blast, and the woman who he admittedly strongly disliked, fell to the ground dead.

There was a moment before he could even register what had happened. Then the anger set in all over again. "Why would you do that?!" He fumed. He didn't even bother holding back his feelings like he usually would. "She had already surrendered!"

"She was about to kill you!" The younger, shorter man argued, storming over to him from across the sandy road. "You need to be more careful, Anakin, if it wasn't for me you'd be dying now. But I guess that's what I'm good at, right? Noticing people's tricks." He angrily grabbed the woman's hand and his partner tried to stop him but before he could, Boba pulled out a dart. Not quite like the ones that his father had used, but certainly with the same purpose. "Maybe you could learn a few things from me too, since you seem to think that everyone has some kind of code." He was wearing his helmet, but even with it on the glare that he was shooting at the older man was obvious. He threw the dart into the ground and stormed away.

"Wait, Boba-" Anakin started, but he was cut off.

"No, it's done. The mission is over." He growled, and disappeared into the crowd that was already forming around the scene.


	4. The fracture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boba was angry, and he probably had his reasons. Anakin wasn't sure what he'd done wrong, or how to fix it. He just knew that this was his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for angst, thank god.

Boba wasn't in their run down room when he got there. He wouldn't be, Anakin supposed, since he was clearly angry. He also figured that there was no point in going out to look for him. Even if he did find him, it would probably just make him more angry. Instead he left to find a place to eat on his own. Eventually the bounty hunter would return, once he calmed down. His whole reaction didn't really make sense in the first place, at least not in the Jedi's opinion. He had killed a woman and then got all angry when Anakin reacted. What had he been expecting? Did he think he'd be congratulated? Thanked? Even if he had expected something more positive once he'd explained himself, he hadn't given enough time for that before he stormed off. It was stupid.

Still, when he got back to their room after he'd eaten and the younger man was still gone, he got worried. He had really messed things up here. He wasn't sure how exactly, but it was obviously his fault. All Boba had been doing was trying to save him, and then he'd gotten all angry with him. He still just couldn't see why it was so upsetting to the other boy that he hadn't seen the poison dart coming. Anakin had been replaying the whole thing over and over again in his mind, and he could see no other reason that he would have been angry. If he had died though, it would have been his own fault. As much as the Jedi council may not like it, they wouldn't be able to argue otherwise. There would have been no negative consequences for failing to save a partner in time. If anything it would be beneficial to him if he could go back to killing without someone else around making him hold back. It just didn't make sense any way he twisted it. The fact that he was twisting it at all indicated a problem, since Jedi were supposed to uphold truth. When a person started overthinking things, that was when the truth was bent.

He decided that what he needed to do was clear his mind. Meditation would be good for him right now, until he could actually figure this whole thing out. He sat down on the bed with his legs crossed and tried to clear his mind. It was more difficult than usual, but that itself was to be expected. He was distracted, it would take longer to stop thinking. He tried focusing on the sounds in the room, and the movement of the air across his skin, but it was no use. A part of him was waiting for the time when Boba would start drifting closer to him in his sleep. It was part of the routine now. At some point, once the bounty hunter had grown bored of watching his partner sit around with his eyes closed, he would drift off to sleep and end up pressed against his thigh. It was how he had been deciding when it was time to go to sleep during their missions. Now, however, there was no one beside him. Not knowing why he was gone threw off his pattern so that he was just as distracted as before. He still tried though, unwilling to give up.

He spent over an hour in half meditation before the door opened and he jumped to attention. He figured it was his partner, but it still gave him an excuse to get up, so he took it.

"Always so jumpy around me." The bounty hunter grumbled. Clearly he was still in a bad mood, even though he'd taken plenty of time to cool off. When he took his helmet off, his forehead was deeply creased in a scowl. "I would think that after we'd worked together you would be willing to show a little bit of trust. Maybe assume that I'm not here for the sole purpose of killing you."

This was a bad start, he knew it. "I didn't realize it was you." He protested. It was a weak argument, coming from him, but he still tried it. It didn't work.

"You could sense me as soon as I entered the building if you really wanted to, you just haven't stopped viewing me as a threat." Boba countered. It was a fair point. He hadn't known it was him until he was by the door, because he was a little off right now, but ordinarily it would be true. "But of course, I'm a bloodthirsty monster, so why _would_ you? I'll probably kill you in your sleep sometime if you stop watching my every move." He continued, fuming. Clearly he thought that he was being treated unfairly. He didn't like that he was under suspicion, and that was probably fair since he was making an effort to adhere to the Jedi's moral standards instead of his own. Really though, how was he expected to blindly trust anyone with morals as questionable as his?

"Can you please tell me what this is about?" Anakin tried to keep his voice even and reasonable, he didn't want to make the other man angry in case he stormed out again. It was funny, he wasn't used to being the one who was trying to calm someone else down. Most of the time, he was the one being senseless and emotional.

"It's about _you_. You think that you're so much better than I am because you aren't willing to kill people when it's necessary. You scold me like I'm a misbehaving child, but I'm almost as old as you are."He ripped off his gloves and belts of weapons as he spoke, without bothering to be gentle. All of his armor was pretty scuffed up anyway, so it probably wouldn't make any difference.

"You don't act like part of a team though, Boba. I scold you because you don't have my back like you should." He argued back. It was the wrong thing to say, given the events of the day.

"No, you just don't like that I don't follow orders! I always have your back, even when you don't realize that you're in danger! I saved your life today, and you still yelled at me for getting out of line!" He was being very loud, and not nearly careful enough with his weapons for his older partner's taste. He could see him wincing every time he threw something down, and it just made him more angry. "Well you know what Anakin? I don't do things just because someone tells me to! I'm not a clone!"

That threw him off. "Yes yo-"

"I'm not one of _them_!" His voice raised in pitch and frustration. The disgust on his face as he spat out the word 'them' was surprising. In the time that they had worked together he'd never shown any love for his doppelgängers, but Anakin had always thought of them as a huge set of twins, and he'd assumed that Boba thought the same way. Hearing such loathing towards them caught him off guard. "You think that I'm like them, but I'm not. I'm a _person_ , not one of those mindless _things_."

It took him a moment to say something, even though he understood what was happening now. "No one is trying to say that you aren't a person." He finally managed. He wasn't really sure how else to say it, but this was something that he could understand, to a degree. His days on Tatooine being treated as less than a person because he was a slave weren't so far behind him that he couldn't remember them. He hated to think that he might have been doing the same kind of thing to someone else.

"Except that you _do!_ Even you don't realize it, but any time that I do something you don't want me to, you get angry. You expect me to follow orders and never question anything that you tell me to do, but I'm not capable of that." He pointed at his chest for emphasis, a gesture that none of the clones ever used. "I think for myself, and I have my own ideas." He explained. "I have a _name._ I'm Boba Fett. Not just some tool with a serial number."

"I don't expect you to obey me all the time."

"For someone who's supposed to uphold the truth, you really are blind to it." Boba flopped down onto the bed and closed his eyes. His eyebrows were still drawn tightly together in anger, even if his position was relaxed. "All I want is to be treated like an equal. I've more than earned it after all the times I've helped you. Even accepting when I do something in a different way than you told me to would be nice, or trusting my judgement. You would give anyone else that, so why should I be any different?" After a second passed in silence, he opened his eyes to look at Anakin. In the dim light they looked almost black.

He hated it when the younger man was right, especially when it meant that he was in the wrong. He was treating him a little unfairly, and when he thought of all the times that people had done the same thing to him, he could remember his own anger and frustration. Even so, he found himself trying to argue with him. "You're young, and you aren't as wise as a Jedi. You don't understand. Even if you were raised like a person, you're still a clone. I expect you to act like one of them because you _are_ one of them. You may not be altered like them, but it doesn't chane the fact that you loo-"

He as cut off when the bounty hunter grabbed him and pinned him down on the bed with his forearm against his throat. It had happened quickly, and he really wasn't expecting their argument to get physical, otherwise he might have gotten out of the way. Even in this position Boba hadn't actually bothered to hold his arms down, so he could have gotten away easily. He didn't. "I _am_ a person." Came the low growl only inches from his face. He wasn't even angry anymore, really. He was something else. Desperate. "I _am_." Then he did one of the few things that Anakin never would have predicted. He kissed him.

It wasn't a particularly special kiss. Not short enough to be a peck, but also not long enough to carry any real meaning. It was an empty, useless, gesture. A human one. He was doing something that none of the other clones would do.

Neither of them really said anything after that. Boba watched his face, looking for any kind of reaction. When he didn't get one, he rolled off of him and laid on his side curled in a ball like always. His back was facing the Jedi, so he couldn't see any emotions on his face. He didn't need to see them, really. He could sense the emotional turmoil going on in his head.

After a few minutes, he felt Boba drift off into unconsciousness, and he pretended to go to sleep too. He couldn't think of anything better to do. As he stared at the dark ceiling and felt the small, warm body curled against his side, he finally allowed himself to whisper, "You are a person," before he rolled over to face the opposite wall.


	5. The break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The simplicity of two young people doing their jobs didn't last long. How could it, in a world like theirs? Things had to change eventually, and not necessarily for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slightly more serious chapter, so sorry about that. Hope you like it though, and also that you comment. <3

That was the last time they ever saw each other as Jedi and bounty hunter. After they returned to Coruscant, they parted ways. The next time that they saw each other, a year later, Anakin was already Darth Vader.

He had killed Windu. Not directly, but he had killed him as sure as had Chancellor Palpatine. No, not Palpatine anymore. He was Darth Sideous. He would be Darth Sideous until the end. He had killed the younglings too, and there was no getting around that. It had been his hand, his light saber that struck them down. Even as their paths were about to cross, he was on the way to Mustafar to kill the remaining members of the trade federation.

He was upset. Not that he really ever stopped being upset after his journey as a Sith Lord began, but at that time it was still new. It was new enough to be distracting, at least. He didn't see Boba hiding in the shadows at the doors to the temple. In fact, it was his voice rather than the sight of him that gave it away.

"You!" There was a familiarity there, in that voice filled with so much anger. He had heard it, he knew it, even if he couldn't recall who it belonged to. It was no Jedi, that was for sure. A Jedi wouldn't do what this man did. He felt his arm being grabbed, and his body being swung around in a circle. His back hit the wall, and all of a sudden he was face to face with a helmet-less Boba Fett. The other man's arm was against his throat again, just like it had been that other night, that felt like so long ago. The action was a great deal more threatening now, when he was wearing his gauntlets. He knew about the razor sharp blades that would pop out at the push of a button, and he knew that they could kill him. He wasn't afraid of that though. "You killed Master Windu!" The shorter man shouted.

It was the kind of stupid, emotional, reckless thing that he would have expected from Boba. He was so impulsive and undisciplined. Even this little ambush of his was sloppy. For one thing he announced himself when he shouted, which took away what little surprise advantage he would have had. And worse than that, he had left both of his arms free. Even if he didn't have his full Jedi training, he could get out of this easily. As it was, he could kill him with little more than a flick of the wrist, if he wanted to. It was lucky for the bounty hunter that he still had some fondness for him, and that he wasn't a threat to the new empire, because he had no reason or desire to go that far.

"How could you?!" The forearm pressed harder against him, and it started to actually cut off his air. "He was one of you! You were one of them!" He raised his chin to indicate the temple. So he knew about that too. Of course he would, he was always watching Windu and waiting for the right moment to kill him. Of course he would continue watching someone who killed him, even indirectly.

Anakin, or Darth Vader by then, put one hand on the center of his old partner's chest in warning. It was enough to give him room to breathe. It was also enough to show him that the fearless Boba Fett was wary of him, at least. "I didn't kill him, I just wounded him. Besides, you should be happy. You wanted him dead, didn't you? Well now he is."

"Don't make excuses, I know what happened. He could have held his own if it weren't for you." He snarled. "He was MINE to kill! You knew that he was mine, you knew how much it meant to me!" His black eyes were shining and furious. His anger was palpable. It matched his own fury.

He knew that he could kill Boba, and that he maybe even should. How could he allow someone to disrespect him like this, if he was to be Sideous's most feared weapon? He didn't have the heart to do it though. Not without a direct order.

"Get out of my way Fett." He growled back. The bounty hunter's eyes widened and he brought down his arm. "Look, you may not have your revenge to look forward to anymore, but you have your free will back. You can do anything that you want. You're a real person, so you should show some real intelligence and leave me alone. If you stay in my way, things won't go well for you."

The anger slowly faded from his face, replaced by incredulity. He took a step back. "You think I'm a real person?"

It mollified his anger a little, seeing such a reaction. In the year that they had been apart, he had forgotten how strongly that he felt about being real. He still suspected that his refusal to openly agree about that was the reason that they hadn't seen each other again after that night. It was a little late now, but he still nodded. "Yeah, Boba. Of course I do."

As much as he would like to set things right with him now, he didn't have the time to do anything more. He started to walk away, but a pair of strong hands grabbed the front of his robes and yanked him down, closer. It was rough, and their kiss was rougher. Their lips smashed together painfully with the force Boba had used to pull him in, and he tasted blood from where his tooth had cut into him. Surprisingly, he didn't mind. He would have thought that he would mind, since he was already so angry, but he didn't. He was glad for the distraction, for the split second where he forgot about everything that was going on. He grabbed the smaller man and kissed him back harder, pushed him backwards until he could feel his back hit the wall. He wanted more of that feeling. More of that distraction. He felt the alarm running through the bounty hunter once he was trapped though, and that was what made him pull away. Vader sighed, still with his forehead pressed against Boba's. He still wanted more. He wanted a distraction that could last him a while, so that he could pretend that none of this was happening. A part of him, the same part that had been okay with all the things he'd just done, knew that if he felt like it he could do whatever he wanted and Boba couldn't stop him. He didn't feel like it though. He would never feel like doing that. It was too despicable, even for the man who had just killed a hundred children. The fact that it had entered his mind even as a possibility disgusted him.

He backed off and went back to his Eta-2. He would check on Padmé first, then he would go to Mustafar. He didn't say a word, or even look back at the man as he left. He wasn't going to get pulled into something else there, not when he had a duty to the Emperor and to his wife. So he left, away to her, and then away to Mustafar to do his master's bidding. He didn't like any of it, but he didn't have much say in it either. All he could do was listen. He had to follow orders for the greater good. He would save his wife and bring peace to the galaxy. If that peace must be bought through fear, then so be it.

Of course, he didn't know what was going to happen back then. Even if he did, it was too late for him to have changed much of anything. The Jedi order was destroyed, and he couldn't have shown his face again if he had chosen to run away then. Years later, he still occasionally entertained the idea of what might have gone differently if he had just run away. He didn't think that Padmé could have lived with him, knowing what he'd done. She would have tried, but she was a better person than him. She always was. She would have looked at his face every day and saw all the children he had killed. She would have seen their child and wondered how she could raise it with him as a father. The same was true of Obi-Wan, though in a different way. They never could have gained back the bond that they had once shared. There would never have been any trust between them. Kenobi had showed just how much he hated him when he'd left him to die, slowly and painfully, on that world of lava.

He did believe though, in some deep part of his mind, that he could have run away with Boba. He could have become a bounty hunter too. They could have been a team. He'd have come up with a new name, and he'd have to wear a mask all the time, but he could have been free. When things got hard, he liked to imagine it, his life as a bounty hunter. He'd still have three limbs, and he could breathe by himself. He would decide to do things when and how he wanted to. He would be an individual. He thought about it and got sadder and angrier, and when he did, he got more powerful. He got strong and he coped.

It was almost ten years later when Sidious said he had an old friend of his that he'd be happy to see. They would be arriving the next day. For a second he thought that maybe it was old Obi-Wan, and he felt hatred boil up inside him. His love for that man had turned long ago, when he had taken away his ability to function like a normal person. He didn't have many other old friends left alive nowadays, so he couldn't think of anyone else it could be.

He was shocked when Slave 1 landed, and Boba Fett stepped out. Not a lot had changed about Boba, that he could tell. He still wore the same armor, more battered now even than before. He was still short, although it was possible that he had gotten a little taller than the last time he had seen him. It was hard to tell.

"Boba Fett." He had been slow to speak, he remembered. He'd heard that his old partner was the best (and most expensive) bounty hunter in the galaxy, but he'd never thought that he'd be useful to the empire. "Your reputation proceeds you."

"As does yours, Lord Vader." He had replied. He was curt, formal. It wasn't like the man that he had known.

Vader supposed that it was ridiculous to think that there was even the slightest chance that Boba might recognize him. He was too different now than he had been last time they met. His face was covered from the world. Not that it looked the same as it had when they had known each other, the lava and fire had stripped away any physical resemblance there. He was taller now too. Between his new legs, and the boots and helmet that he wore, he was at least a head taller than he had been as Anakin. No part of him bore any likeness to the man he had once been. Even his voice was changed beyond recognition.

He forced down any offense at not being remembered and gave him his mission, as coldly and distantly as possible. This was fine. Just because Vader had spent years dreaming of how he could have lived a different, better life if they had run away together, didn't mean that the dream had been shared. Anakin Skywalker didn't exist anymore. For all Boba knew, he was just another casualty in the slaughter of the Jedi. A distant memory.


	6. Lingering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last time they'd seen each other was almost years ago. Nothing was the same now, nothing ever would be. Vader didn't think that it could ever be that good again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to post this one, so much shit has happened. I know that you probably don't care but not only did the dog my entire life revolved around die, my step dog who I also loved is getting put down in the morning. Good stuff. Next one may or may not be sooner.

When Vader returned to his meditation chamber, he was surprised to sense a presence hanging around it. Ordinarily everyone was too afraid of him to venture so close to it unless they were just passing by, and this person was obviously lurking. It was suspicious. He couldn't sneak up on them, so instead he approached with longer heavier strides than normal to seem more intimidating. His suit had plenty of drawbacks, but people _were_ terrified of it. He liked to use that to his advantage. Just as he reached the door to the room where his chamber was kept, it opened.

"You really aren't very stealthy." Boba Fett was standing right in front of him, looking up at him in a way that was somehow challenging even though he was so much smaller. He should have known that it would be him. This waiting around thing was a habit of his, apparently. Maybe asking to talk in private had never occurred to him.

Vader smiled behind his mask. He hadn't had anyone criticize him over something so trivial in years. "And you aren't very smart. You shouldn't wait around to ambush someone like me."

"Sounds like a lot of big talk for a man who hasn't tried to hurt me." He countered. Typical Boba, challenging anyone who talked down to him.

"I've already hired you, what else do you want?" He asked. He had chosen to ignore the last comment for old time's sake. "More money? I'm afraid I don't set the prices, and the Emperor doesn't like haggling. Or are you looking to collect a bounty on me? I'm afraid that won't work either." He brushed past Boba and into his room. He was kind of enjoying talking to his old partner, but if they had this conversation publicly, it might draw unwanted attention to the fact that he wasn't harming someone who challenged him. They couldn't have that.

He heard a soft _click_ and then Boba's unaltered voice. "You know, I take personal offense to that. Why do you still think I'm out to kill you?" He turned around to see the bounty hunter, without his helmet. He was smiling at Vader, which was another thing that no one had done in years. "Really Anakin, after all these years I thought you would have realized that you aren't worth my life."

So he did know who he was, that was unexpected. Of course, Boba would have means of getting all kinds of information, but his true identity was one secret that was well kept. It wasn't the kind of information that he'd have thought he'd be able to get his hands on. "You haven't changed a bit. Still trying to pick a fight with the people you can't beat." He meant it fondly, but his voice came out harsh and cold, like always.

Luckily, Boba wasn't as afraid of him as he should be. "And you're still trying to be edgy. The mask is a bit of a step up from the leather, but I like it. Very intimidating." He gestured to his legs. "I don't like these though, you're too tall. I feel like I have to break my neck to look you in the eye."

"How did you know it was me?" He asked, after a second of hesitation. As much as he was happy that the bounty hunter knew him, he couldn't understand why. He wasn't the same person as he used to be, and he never would be again. Anakin Skywalker didn't exist anymore, and Vader didn't like the idea of someone connecting them. It would be better if he could remain a memory, one of a good and noble Jedi, instead of a man who had become a monster.

Boba smirked and put down his helmet. "I'd know you anywhere. Plus, We did meet that one time after you turned, so I figured that the new dark and terrible lord was probably you. Didn't seem too likely that there would be a second Jedi switching sides." He considered for a moment. "Unless of course Sith train a lot faster than Jedi, in which case I guess it could be someone entirely new. Still, I figured it had to be you; my old pal Ani."

To be fair, that was probably the most polite and least accusative way that he could have phrased it. He didn't specifically mention the fact that he had betrayed and murdered everyone he had ever known, or any of the other things that he'd done since they'd last met. It wasn't a kindness that he would have expected from him, given his usual abrasiveness. "You always were intuitive. I'm sure that's what's made you so successful." Vader complimented. He didn't really know what to talk about, but he also didn't want to stop. It was so rare that anyone talked to him as a person and not a tool.

"Thank you." Black eyes looked up at him, almost sadly. It was hard to say why he would be sad. Maybe it was years of interrogating people and having to know what they were thinking, but he didn't like being so unaware. He didn't understand why someone would be sad about being called intuitive. Boba sighed softly and continued. "I wondered what happened to you for a long time, before I figured out who you'd become. I guess you're a different person."

"No, I'm not a person. I'm a tool at my master's command now." Vader didn't look away from him. He wanted to see his face. To watch the change in perception take place. It would be better in the long run to have the truth out of the way than to pretend that things were still the way they used to be. Lying to themselves wouldn't benefit either of them.

One thing that he didn't want was pity. He wanted fear or disgust. Or he didn't want those, but he expected them. In any case, he preferred it when things played out the way that he expected them to. It seemed like whenever they didn't, something went horribly wrong and the whole Jedi order died or he killed his wife. So, even though pity was a little more friendly than what he'd been planning on, he didn't like seeing it on the other man's face.

"You should be going." Vader finally said, after a long moment of silence. Even if he didn't want him to go, he had to think of Boba here. It wouldn't be wise for him to stay. Nothing good could come of it. If he was caught as someone with a personal connection to Vader, then he _would_ be hurt or killed. There was no doubt about it. The emperor didn't like it when he had any obligation to anyone else, even the smallest obligation of friendship. Their talking was already suspicious enough without Boba feeling sorry for him.

The bounty hunter closed his eyes and gathered himself for a minute, then he smiled at him like nothing was wrong. "I _could_ go, or we could go together. It might be nice to have some help on the job, and it would be like old times."

It was a nice offer. He would have liked to accept it. But no, he couldn't go to help him unless either the emperor commanded it, or he was actually needed. Without some dire emergency, he would have to stay put. And he said so. "You don't need me to complete your task. and I only go where I need to." He hated to be the one to disappoint him, but he would have hated to be the one who got him killed much more.

Boba nodded, and his smile faded. "As you wish."

"I'm sure that you'll do well, and that we'll work together again. You have a good reputation for being reliable. We could use someone like you." In reality, he was more sure about them working together just because Palpatine would want too wave old memories in his face to see how he would react. There was no point in telling Boba about that though. It would only make him angry, and it wouldn't do any good to be mad at the emperor, since he couldn't do anything to hurt him. Hurting him did seem like the kind of thing that Boba would try. He didn't like being used, he was a person not a tool.

"Then I'll see you later, Anakin."

No, that kind of familiarity wouldn't do. Someone would hear, and the emperor find out. Even if he didn't, he preferred not to bring up those memories. "It's Vader now, remember that." He wasn't Anakin anymore, and even thinking about all of that hurt him. He liked living in denial better, pretending that he had never existed outside of being Darth Vader.

So he watched Boba leave and tried to pretend that they were just strangers. That this was easy and that things would be okay and safe for both of them. That he didn't care if the last connection he had to being human died. As it seemed was his tendency when it came to personal relationships, he failed at all of them.


End file.
